Traffic powered renewable energy system

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

p-0002I hereby claim benefit under Title 35, United States Code, Section 119(e) of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/504,914 filed Jul. 6, 2011. The 61/504,914 application is currently pending. The 61/504,914 application is hereby incorporated by reference into this application.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

p-0003Not applicable to this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

p-00041. Field of the Invention

p-0005The present invention relates generally to a renewable energy system and more specifically it relates to a traffic powered renewable energy system for generating electricity from traffic on roadways and the like.

p-00062. Description of the Related Art

p-0007Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.

p-0008With the rising economic and environmental impact of fossil fuel based energy, there has been a heightened interest in recent years in renewable energy sources. Such energy sources generally include solar power, wind power and the like. However, these sources of renewable energy suffer from a number of shortcomings. For example, solar power is entirely dependent on constant UV exposure and thus is not capable of 24-hour functioning. Similarly, wind power depends on favorable wind conditions for power generation.

p-0009While such systems have been in use for years with some success, it would be preferable to provide a renewable energy source which is capable of generating electricity at all hours of the day or night and without dependency on unpredictable weather elements. Such a system would allow for more efficient and consistent generation of power.

p-0010Because of the inherent problems with the related art, there is a need for a new and improved traffic powered renewable energy system for generating electricity from traffic on roadways and the like.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

p-0011The invention generally relates to a renewal energy system which includes a housing containing one or more pneumatic compression assemblies positioned therein and connected in series utilizing air conveying conduits. The housing is positioned within a cavity in a roadway and covered with a membrane. As vehicles pass over the membrane, the pneumatic compression assemblies are actuated in a piston-like manner to force air through the air conveying conduits to a generation assembly which includes a turbine, gear box and generator for producing electricity.

p-0012There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, some of the features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and that will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction or to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of the description and should not be regarded as limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

p-0013Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

p-0014<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref> is an upper perspective view of the present invention.

p-0015<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> is an upper perspective exploded interior view of the present invention.

p-0016<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> is a side sectional view of the present invention taken along line <b>3</b>-<b>3</b> of <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>.

p-0017<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4</figref> is a side sectional view of the pneumatic compression assembly of the present invention in use.

p-0018<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> is a top view of an exemplary installation of the present invention at a four-way intersection.

p-0019<figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref> is a block diagram illustrating interconnection of components of one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

h-0007A. Overview.

p-0020Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 1 through 6</figref> illustrate a traffic powered renewable energy system <b>10</b>, which comprises a housing <b>20</b> containing one or more pneumatic compression assemblies <b>30</b> positioned therein and connected to an air compression tank <b>71</b> utilizing air conveying conduits <b>50</b>. The housing <b>20</b> is positioned within a cavity in a roadway <b>12</b> and covered with a membrane <b>60</b>. As vehicles pass over the membrane <b>60</b>, the pneumatic compression assemblies <b>30</b> are actuated in a piston-like manner to force air through the air conveying conduits <b>50</b> to a generation assembly <b>70</b> which includes a turbine <b>74</b>, gear box <b>75</b> and generator <b>76</b> for producing electricity.

h-0008B. Housing.

p-0021As best shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>, the present invention generally includes a housing <b>20</b> which stores the one or more pneumatic compression assemblies <b>30</b> of the present invention at a position just underneath the roadway <b>12</b>. The housing <b>20</b> may be comprised of various shapes and sizes, and thus should not be construed as being limited to the rectangular shape shown in the figures. For example, a cylindrical housing <b>20</b> could be used in various embodiments. Further, other embodiments may have a larger width so as to accommodate two-deep installations of pneumatic compression assemblies <b>30</b> (i.e. two assemblies <b>30</b> per column).

p-0022The housing <b>20</b> includes an upper end <b>21</b> and a lower end <b>23</b>. The upper end <b>21</b> of the housing <b>20</b> includes an upper opening <b>22</b> through which the cap members <b>45</b> of each pneumatic compression assembly <b>30</b> will extend when the present invention is in use. The housing <b>20</b> also includes a pair of sidewalls <b>25</b>, <b>26</b> which protect the various internal components of the present invention from damage caused by exposure to dirt or other elements.

p-0023The housing <b>20</b> of the present invention is generally installed in cavity formed in a roadway <b>12</b> as shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1</figref>. The upper end <b>21</b> of the housing <b>20</b> will generally be flush or substantially flush with the surface of the roadway <b>12</b> to ensure that the pneumatic compression assemblies <b>30</b> are activated when a vehicle passes thereover. The housing <b>20</b> may also include one or more openings along its outer surface through which an air conveying conduit <b>50</b> may exit the housing <b>20</b> to link the pneumatic compression assemblies <b>30</b> with the generation assembly <b>70</b>.

h-0009C. Pneumatic Compression Assembly.

p-0024The present invention includes one or more pneumatic compression assemblies <b>30</b> as shown throughout the figures. Each of the pneumatic compression assemblies <b>30</b> is adapted to force air through an air conveying conduit <b>50</b> in response to piston action caused by vehicles passing over the housing <b>20</b> on the roadway <b>12</b>.

p-0025As best shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>, each pneumatic compression assembly <b>30</b> is comprised of a compression chamber <b>34</b>, an activation cylinder <b>40</b> extending from the compression chamber <b>34</b> and a cap member <b>45</b>. The compression chamber <b>34</b> is comprised of an enclosed and sealed box-like structure with a volume of air therein which will be forced out of the compression chamber <b>34</b> and into an air conveying conduit <b>50</b> after activation of the activation cylinder <b>40</b>.

p-0026The compression chamber <b>34</b> generally includes an upper opening <b>35</b>, an inlet <b>37</b> and an outlet <b>38</b>. The activation cylinder <b>40</b> of the present invention extends out through the upper opening <b>35</b>. The inlet <b>37</b> of each compression chamber <b>34</b> is connected through a check valve <b>39</b> to an air intake manifold <b>52</b>. The outlet <b>38</b> of each compression chamber <b>34</b> is connected through a check valve <b>39</b> to an air conveying conduit <b>50</b>. The air conveying conduit <b>50</b> will transfer expelled air into a compression chamber <b>71</b> for use in power generation. Each cylinder <b>40</b> has its own air conveying conduit <b>50</b> and the air conveying conduits <b>50</b> traverse through and out of the housing <b>20</b> in a vertically oriented manner as shown in the figures.

p-0027The air intake manifold <b>52</b> is comprised of a conduit or other structure which extends along the length of the interior of the housing <b>20</b> alongside the compression assemblies <b>30</b>. The air intake manifold <b>52</b> exits the housing and terminates above-grade in a location with ambient air, which is pulled into the compression chambers <b>34</b> on the up-motion of the cylinders <b>40</b>.

p-0028The activation cylinder <b>40</b> is comprised of a piston-like structure which extends out of the upper opening <b>35</b> of the compression chamber <b>34</b> as shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref>. The activation cylinder <b>40</b> has an upper end <b>41</b> which is secured to the lower end <b>47</b> of the cap member <b>45</b> of the present invention and a lower end <b>42</b> which is movably secured within the upper opening <b>35</b> of the compression chamber <b>34</b>.

p-0029The activation cylinder <b>40</b> preferably includes a bias member <b>43</b> as shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3</figref> for ensuring that the activation cylinder <b>40</b> reverts to its extended position naturally after being compressed by the weight of a vehicle passing thereover. Various types of bias members <b>43</b> may be utilized, and thus the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited by the exemplary illustrations showing usage of a coil spring (a preferred embodiment).

p-0030The cap member <b>45</b> is generally positioned within a sleeve <b>31</b> as shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>. The sleeve <b>31</b> of the present invention is generally comprised of a rectangular structure having a central slot <b>32</b> extending therethrough. The sleeve <b>31</b> generally is approximately the same length as the housing <b>20</b>.

p-0031The sleeve <b>31</b> is utilized to ensure that the activation cylinder <b>40</b> moves only vertically without any side-to-side movement. Thus, the width of the sleeve <b>31</b> will preferably be only slightly smaller than the distance between the first and second sidewalls <b>25</b>, <b>26</b> of the housing <b>20</b>. The sides of the sleeve <b>31</b> should abut against and/or frictionally engage with the interior sidewalls <b>25</b>, <b>26</b> of the housing <b>20</b> to prevent any non-vertical movement.

p-0032The cap member <b>45</b> of the present invention is positioned within the slot <b>32</b> of the sleeve <b>31</b> as shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> so as to come into contact with the upper end <b>41</b> of each of the cylinders <b>40</b>. The cap member <b>45</b> itself includes an upper end <b>46</b> which extends slightly out of the upper end <b>21</b> of the housing <b>20</b>. The lower end <b>47</b> of the cap member <b>45</b> is secured to the upper end <b>41</b> of the activation cylinder <b>41</b>. The cap member <b>45</b> will preferably be comprised of a structure, configuration and material which will endure repeated contact from vehicles passing thereover without becoming damaged or compromised. The cap member <b>45</b> will preferably be comprised of a dome-shaped design, but other configurations may be utilized in different embodiments.

h-0010D. Conduit and Membrane.

p-0033As shown in the figures, air conveying conduit <b>50</b> is used to link the pneumatic compression assemblies <b>30</b> to the compression tank <b>71</b>. Various types of conduits <b>50</b> known in the art to transfer air (forced, compressed or ambient) may be utilized.

p-0034The present invention also utilizes a membrane <b>60</b> which is positioned on the roadway <b>12</b> so as to cover and abut against the upper end <b>46</b> of the cap members <b>45</b>. Various types of membranes <b>60</b> may be utilized, so long as the material is capable of being constantly exposed to vehicle traffic and various weather elements without becoming prematurely warped or damaged.

h-0011E. Generation Assembly.

p-0035Air which is forced through the conduits <b>50</b> via piston action of the pneumatic compression assemblies <b>30</b> is fed into a generation assembly <b>70</b>. The generation assembly <b>70</b> may be positioned underground with the pneumatic compression assembly <b>30</b> or may be positioned above-grade at a corner of an intersection as shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref>.

p-0036Each generation assembly <b>70</b> generally includes an air compression tank <b>71</b> and a housing <b>73</b> which stores the turbine <b>74</b>, gear box <b>75</b> and generator <b>76</b> of the present invention. The air compression tank <b>71</b> may be utilized to store collected air under pressure until it is fed to the generator <b>76</b> to produce electricity. The produced energy may be transferred to the electrical grid, or utilized for other purposes such as powering nearby traffic lights, buildings, toll booths, businesses and/or other buildings. In case of power outage, an auxiliary battery backup <b>77</b> may be provided as shown in <figref idrefs="DRAWINGS">FIG. 6</figref> to power traffic lights and/or other accessories in times of power failure.

h-0012F. Operation of Preferred Embodiment.

p-0037In use, a cavity is formed in a roadway <b>12</b> and the housing <b>20</b> of the present invention placed therein. It is appreciated that one or more units of the present invention may be installed per lane, depending on the traffic levels in that area as well as the powering needs. The generation assembly <b>70</b> is also installed and connected to the housing <b>20</b> via an air conveying conduit <b>50</b>. As vehicles pass over the housing <b>20</b>, the activation cylinders <b>40</b> will undergo piston-type action to force air through the air conveying conduit <b>50</b> to the generation assembly <b>70</b> to produce electricity.

p-0038Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar to or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods and materials are described above. All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety to the extent allowed by applicable law and regulations. In case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, will control. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Any headings utilized within the description are for convenience only and have no legal or limiting effect.